That Awful Sound
by Aeriths-Rain
Summary: Vincent fell backwards. Back and away. Like a diagram in a book. Songfic focussing on Hojo and Vincent's tied lives. Rated teen for violence.


**Disclaimer: **Neither the characters nor the song lyrics are mine. The song was by Nancy Sinatra (and later Cher) and the characters are (c) square enix.  
**AN:** No warnings this time, aside from slight OCness as i thought that Hojo and Vincent had known each other as children (and were preparing for their adult jobs from childhood) when i wrote this. This is my first (and most probably last) attempt at a songfic, so please read and review. Thank you .

* * *

_I was five and he was six_

The two boys lay sprawled on the floor of Hojo's bedroom, laughing and throwing cushions at each other. Breaks from study were rare and greatly appreciated. Lessons so far had been tiring mentally, and the best cure for that kind of exhaustion was play fighting.

_  
We rode on horses made of sticks_

The crimson eyed boy, taller and stronger even though he was younger was winning the race, grabbed the model gun from its holster and pretended to fire a shot.

_  
He wore black and I wore white_

Hojo, his three-sizes-too-big lab coat covering his normal clothes laughed, falling backward. Valentine, still dressed in a suit which it appeared he had spilt half his dinner on, rolled his eyes, went to pick his friend up.  
"Not like that. You fall back and away." He marched off to get the textbook, showing his friend the diagram.

_  
He would always win the fight_

There was no point arguing. Vincent was always right about stuff like that. He was the one who was learning to be an assassin, a sniper. Hojo rolled his eyes, scuffed his shoes and muttered an apology, offering to try again. Vincent smiled, and quickly embraced his friend before taking his pose again.

_Bang bang, he shot me down  
Bang bang, I hit the ground_

Hojo landed awkwardly, whimpering slightly as his head hit the floor too hard. He didn't like playing this game, but Vincent needed practice. It was more important than his own pain. If Vincent didn't practice, he wouldn't get good. If he wasn't good, then he would get killed.

_Bang bang, that awful sound_

The sound of Hojo hitting the floor made Vincent flinch. That sounded painful. He ran forwards to his side, helping him stand again. A slight trail of blood appeared on his fingers as he moved his hand away. He wiped the blood away on his trousers, then carefully carried his friend to the medical wing.

_Bang bang, my baby shot me down.  
_

_  
Seasons came and changed the time_

Two teenagers now. Still inseparable, still in the same white lab coat and black suit, still with traces of blood on it. They still crashed on the floor of Hojo's room, more often than not with that beautiful girl sitting on Hojo's bed. She didn't stop their friendship. Valentine loved her, but he accepted that she loved Hojo. There was no jealousy.

_When I grew up, I called him mine_

"Guys, I want ya to meet my best friend." Vincent's arms wrapped around the young scientist with brown hair, his own jet hair covering it. Hojo shyly smiled at the men facing him. So these were the Turks, the ones that Vincent worked with. Every one trained to kill, to torture and 'interrogate'. But, at Vincent's guidance, he sat with them and shared their drink. He couldn't manage half as much as they could.

_He would always laugh and say  
"Remember when we used to play?"  
_

Halfway through the evening, with all the introductions out of the way, Vincent was regaling the others with stories of his and Hojo's shared childhood. The play fights and pretend shootouts. Hojo smiled at the memory.

_  
Bang bang, I shot you down_

A few more years. The friendship started to break down. Hojo and Vincent argued about Lucrecia. Not their love, that was accepted. But rather, what should be done about her unborn child. They were in the lab. Hojo raised the revolver, and before he realised, he squeezed the trigger.

_Bang bang, you hit the ground_

Vincent fell backwards. Back and away. Like a diagram in a book. Blood spurting from the wound in his stomach. His red eyes were wide with fear. He couldn't believe Hojo would do this. He could feel the searing pain in his front, and slowly he realised that he was dying. His eyes stayed open, staring. His last thoughts were of his childhood, the three of them.

_  
Bang bang, that awful sound_

Hojo was shocked. He ran forwards, picked him up. Saw the light of life leave his eyes. The sound of the bullet was still ringing in his ears. He turned around, seeing her. She was crying, screaming, yelling at her lover cradling the body of her friend.

_  
Bang bang, I used to shoot you down.  
_

Hojo was crying. This shouldn't have happened. Vincent should open his eyes. Laugh. This was a game. The worst thing there should be was a small patch of blood on his hands which were now as crimson as his friend's fogged eyes.

_  
Now he's gone, I don't know why_

When Vincent woke up, he was terrified. He was a monster. He fled, desperate to stay somewhere safe, away from Hojo. Away from himself. Hojo returned to the lab that evening, to find his pet project had escaped, fled into the darkness. So the experiments had worked, and now he was alive.

_  
And till this day, sometimes I cry_

Hojo looked at the chaos around him. His friend had been right. He had tried to save him, save her... and he had shot him. He had taken away the life of the one person who could have saved everyone. Now he had lost Lucrecia, the love of his life as well. He felt his tears sliding across his face. He made himself forget, focus on the experiments success.

_  
He didn't even say goodbye_

Hojo wondered if Vincent was still alive. He had fled, so he had been alive at least if only for a few minutes. He wondered if Vincent understood he had had to shoot him. For the good of the experiment.

_  
He didn't take the time to lie._

There was nothing that could be said. If he saw Vincent, he didn't know how he could teach him. This was necessary. It had all been. Nothing wrong with what he had done. No point in lying. Vincent had never even loved him. They were never friends.

Bang bang, he shot me down 

30 years on. The ebony haired man, crimson eyed and full of demonic spirit, holding his gun aimed straight at the ageing scientist. Hojo knew this to was necessary. He lowered his head, accepting the gift of the bullet to end the nightmare.

_  
Bang bang, I hit the ground_

He was dead before he landed. Vincent had always been a skilled shot. He cradled the dead man, trying to see the child he once was. As he gazed into the dead eyes, he realised that the man who had been his friend had died the day Hojo pulled the trigger. He kissed the blooded forehead as gently as he could, trying to apologise to the long dead ghost of his first true friend.

_Bang bang, that awful sound  
Bang bang, my baby shot me down..._


End file.
